In retail outlets it is customary to have display and dispensing units for use in selling loose confectionery, dried fruit and nuts and various food products on a self service basis. Each unit has a number of compartments each containing a different variety of confectionery or food. The customer selects the required amount from each compartment, using a scoop or other handling device. Display and dispensing units may also be termed as merchandising units.
The prior art units are manufactured from sheets of a plastics material such as acrylic which are glued together to form the structure. Each compartment is provided with a hinged lid.
There are, however, a number of disadvantages associated with prior art units.
Firstly, as the vast majority of products sold using these units are unwrapped, it is essential that each compartment be cleaned regularly. As the compartments are glued together, however, it is not possible to clean them thoroughly, particularly the corners. Also, the hinge of the lid may corrode after a short period of time and thus provides a possible source of contamination.
A second major disadvantage associated with prior art units is that as each unit may have four or six individual compartments, if one compartment is damaged or broken, then it is usually necessary to discard the entire unit.
Thirdly, when the units are being transported or stored, they use a considerable amount of space, thus adding to transport, storage and handling costs.
A further disadvantage associated with prior art units is the waste of material. As each unit is normally two compartments wide, a plurality of units located side by side will have a number of juxtaposed side walls.
Another problem encountered in retail outlets occurs with the sale on a self-service basis of prepared salads and other foods ready for consumption in that these foods are open to contamination.
The object of the invention is to alleviate the above disadvantages.